


Faith

by PerserveranceNotLOVE



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst, Gen, Healing, Heart-to-Heart, Religion, Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:54:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22868212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerserveranceNotLOVE/pseuds/PerserveranceNotLOVE
Summary: In the keep of Emathe Erlan, two wolves meet.Healing begins.(AKA, the rp scene that made my wifey cry. #sorrynotsorry )
Kudos: 2





	Faith

**Author's Note:**

> Quick explanation and background: 
> 
> In this RP, we have a whole port a things going on right now. Solas is going into the Crossroads with his daughter because a traitor, Geal, has recently attacked and killed a lot of Lavellans and potentially kidnapped one of Solas' agents. So they have to put out the order to extract and protect the rest of the Lavellans, as well as organize a search party for the agent. 
> 
> Our Fenris has gone through a load of shit. He was attacked by red Templars and captured, which resulted in his tattoos being turned red. Right now, there's not a hugely bad side effect, but who knows the long term effects. Also, he harbours a secret faith in the Dread Wolf and has since his days as a slave.
> 
> This is what happened when Solas was walking into the camp that guards the Eluvian and Fenris was walking out. 
> 
> (Disclaimer, this is edited! I changed some tenses, got rid of some things, shuffled around other things, so it isn't quite verbatim what happened in the rp.)

Solas and Idrilla approached the camp, passing by Fenris as they cross the courtyard towards the main entrance to the Burning Wings' camp. Solas' stride faltered slightly as he glanced over in slight interest at the sheer determination oozing from the tattooed elf.

Only a few steps through the threshold, Fenris froze, daring a risky glance to the statuesque elf in golden armor. A chill ran up his spine.

Where Mahanon held himself as a figure of relative authority, he still held a slump to the shoulders and a curve to the spine that all but screamed of exhaustion, uncaring that it was seen by his people.

This elf, this one, with his head held high and his shoulders squared back and his spine bearing the weight of stress like the columns of the great Dwarven ruins; unbending and unrelenting under even years of pressure, it was frighteningly admirable.

Fenris had a hunch, despite only hearing his name in passing, that he knew exactly who that elf was.

Solas tilted his head slightly, careful not to stare at the markings. The elven warrior frozen and looking Solas over as though measuring him seemed almost familiar to the ancient elvhen man.

A single eyebrow rose as a report comes to mind from a few months back, detailing the efficiency and brutality which a warrior, the same one now in front of Solas, used to decimate a group of slavers while Solas' agents dealt with evacuating their captured people. However, he had been fairly certain that the description of the markings were blue, not red.

Abruptly, the Dread Wolf realized that the silence has stretched on for a little too long, and he offered Fenris a small, if a bit thin, smile, "Savhalla. You must be the one called Fenris."

"You," Fenris breathed, his lungs suddenly struggling for air, "You are the Dread Wolf, aren't you?"

The day had finally come, the so-called deity he had spent his years in slavery calling out to, pleading, begging, cursing, all his prayers to save him and end the pain falling on what he decided were deaf ears.

Fen'harel stood before him, addressing him, the elf from which he claimed his name from, erasing any ties to the long dead Danarius, he had so many thoughts swirling in his head, so many things he had wanted to say- and yet his throat seized, and he was wordless.

For his part, Solas also found his words lodged in his throat. If this Fenris had said those words in any other way, with any other expression, Solas could handle that. Hate, fear, he's even had amusement directed at the idea. But this...this awe. This was the same awe that he saw so very often in the days of the Rebellion. When he had been a god to the People, and they had seen and claimed him as such.

Fen'Harel could deal with such sentiment with ease.

But Solas?

Solas was caught in a whirlwind of his own regret and grief from that look.

So it isn't Solas that responded.

Solas pushed down the feelings that had, in that split second where he had been caught, risen up in him. He donned a gentle smile and the relaxed, confident air of Fen'Harel, and he replied, "Yes, I have gone by that title in the past. But most refer to me as Solas, here. Call me as you like."

Fenris took a gasping breath, then another, "You-" his expression shifted to something in between anger and grief, an old, aching pain burning at his eyes. "So many years I have called to you, the only God I could see fit to answer a slave's cries," another deep, shuddering breath, "Why- why only now do we meet, when I am battered and broken?" His voice cracked on the last word and his tone turned weary.

Fenris let his shoulders droop, hands extended in a gesture of cluelessness. "O Dread Wolf, do not trust him, lest he take you," he mockingly recited what his Dalish slave acquaintances had told him, years upon years ago, when he was bur a child, freshly cemented into the role of the whipping boy. "I have waited so, so long." He hadn't the slightest sliver of shame at the sudden damp running down his cheeks, like his rage, it was only a matter of time before the dam finally broke.

~⭐~

Mahanon had exited the library now, going into the Courtyard, then the burning wings camp, he stopped when he saw the sight before him, Fenris crying before Solas. He simply smiled as he watched on.

He leaned against the wall and continued to watch and spoke lowly to himself "And now you can begin to heal...

~⭐~

Cole felt the emotions and he quickly went over and stood by Mahanon watching them as he looks at them, and tilted his head.

"It's okay, Fenris is mad, the talk will help. He will heal-" He whispered as he watched them.

~⭐~

Seray and Lana stood next to Mahanon, Lana still on the Qunari woman's shoulders as they watched the two elves. "Vhenan, that bald man, is he whom I think he is?" She asks, looking down at her lover.

Seray chuckled softly, crossing her arms over her chest, finding the encounter quite interesting in itself. "Well Wolfie, you keep good company." She said, smiling up at Lana. "Perhaps you could use more hands i think I will be staying, only if I am welcomed."

~⭐~

And the only response that Solas could find that could adequately answer this man...this faithful elvhen man who is breaking in front of him... The only response worthy of him was something a young redhaired woman had told him so long ago.

Solas reached out and placed a firm hand on Fenris' shoulder, holding his gaze as he quoted, " "The truest power behind a god isn't their own ability. It is the faith of the People who believe in them. A god can remain silent for centuries, but belief can sway mountains in their name." You, who fought against those who sought to take your freedom from you... You, who escaped and lived to fight for those that cannot fight their own oppressors... You, who stands before me, a little broken and battered but no less strong, and even wiser for it... You never needed me. You achieved freedom on your own terms, you became great in your own right. You didn't need me, because all you needed...was you."

The touch didn't ache like Fenris was expecting, and his words almost seemed to soothe the ache inside. Anger faded and grief lessened, replaced with a gradual growth of ease. How... strange, yet not unwelcome.

Fenris raised his head, eyes trailing upward hesitantly, up past his chin, lips, up, until their eyes met. His heart raced, but as he gazed into the eyes of the fabled Dread Wolf, the fear ebbed away.

Fen'harel would not raise a hand to him, and in staring into the eyes of a god, he felt safe, for the first time in a very, very long time.

Ciri approached the gathering of people cautiously. “Babae? Why are you in your armour? Is everything okay?” She asked softly, concerned as she looked between her adopted father and Fenris.

Solas watched the other man relax and his smile widened slightly before Cirilla's query made it disappear in favor of a grim frown. He turned partially to her, still keeping one hand on Fenris' shoulder both as a comfort for the other man and himself.

Solas briefly had a wry thought about how Alyssia has managed to turn him into such a tactile person before replying, "I have an errand to run in the Crossroads, da'lan. It is still under a light lockdown, so it was best to be armoured and prepared."

Solas then paused and weighed something in his mind before sighing and turning back to Fenris, a serious look on his face, "We will have to speak more extensively later. There is a nook hidden behind some bookshelves in the library, I spend much of my time there. Come find me later."

Solas glanced over to Mahanon, "And you and I will need to speak extensively later as well, though my spymaster may find you and inform you of the issue before I do."

Fenris finally looked away, head bowed respectfully, "Of course. My apologies for keeping you from your duties." He shrugged from under his touch, resuming his facade of indifference, quietly hiding away the more vulnerable pieces of himself. "Good luck on your journey, Solas."

Solas frowned heavily, displeased by the regression back into a shell. However, he did understand that right now, Fenris may be uncomfortable displaying such emotions in front of so many others, so he simply gave Fenris' shoulder a reassuring squeeze before releasing him.

**Author's Note:**

> Cast: 
> 
> Solas:  
> http://aminoapps.com/p/fnqeq6
> 
> Fenris:   
> http://aminoapps.com/p/ic6b0j
> 
> Mahanon:   
> http://aminoapps.com/p/iyc2yj
> 
> Lana and Seray:   
> http://aminoapps.com/p/t7loa5  
> https://archiveofourown.org/users/Albino_prince24/profile
> 
> Cirilla:  
> http://aminoapps.com/p/vkomhr  
> https://archiveofourown.org/users/KakashiFan101
> 
> Cole:  
> http://aminoapps.com/p/nlk93b9


End file.
